Overview of the Cyclic Shear Deterioration of Circular Reinforced Concrete Columns due to Accelerated Corrosion

ABSTRACT

Reinforced concrete (RC) elements suffer continuous deterioration across their lifetime from in-situ aggressive environmental factors. Spiral reinforcing corrodes preferentially to longitudinal reinforcing, due to the smaller amount of protective cover concrete. Therefore, identifying the true shear resistance of a RC member in its deteriorated state is a critical component that must be addressed when assessing the seismic reliability of a structure. This research addresses the issue of chloride-induced corrosion damage in RC circular bridge piers, specifically focusing on the degradation rate of the seismic shear capacity. Twenty-two columns in total are to be tested in this experimental program. Three distinct damage levels are obtained through artificial corrosion simulation using two variations of the im-pressed-current technique. Effects of spiral spacing, diameter and volumetric ratio are also considered in this experimental work. Two current densities are induced 200 μA/cm2 and 300 μA/cm2. Due to continual delays with Covid-19 restrictions, no results are yet available to discuss. © 2021, fib. The International Federation for Structural Concrete. All rights reserved.